As the use of optical device in communications applications has increased, there is an increasing demand for the integration of multiple components onto a single device. For instance, there is a demand for devices that include a laser that acts as a source of a light signal and one or more modulators for modulating the light signal. However, different optical components such as lasers and modulators use different material systems that cause them to respond to temperature changes differently. As a result, two components may operate well together at one temperature but fail to operate together at another temperature.
One method of addressing these changes has been to attempt to control the device's environment through the use of temperature control systems that hold the temperature of the device at a constant value or that hold the temperature of particular components at a particular value. However, the temperature control systems add cost and complexity to the device. As a result, there is a need for optical device that integrates multiple optical components and can be used in a variety of temperature conditions.